Artist Statement

Many of my works include old rural homes, barns, vehicles etc. These scenes remind me of my early life in New Harmony. I strive to make the viewer connect to the scene emotionally. Scenes are simple, uncluttered and homey with a "back in the days" feel. Florals and still life are usually informal and dramatic with dark backgrounds.

I also am drawn to scenes with lots of flowers, pathways, rose arbors, birdbaths, picket fences and swings hanging in the front yard. Those are things I must have wished to have at my own home at an earlier age. In fact, some of those things do now grace my own surroundings.

I use photos as reference material, but usually make up a scene as I go along. I don't draw out a scene in advance. I have a focal point in mind and then let the canvas tell me what it needs as I work on it. This is, usually, better than anything I may have preplanned. I use glazes to achieve the light and shadow effects I want. Many scenes are combinations of several different photos.